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^ THE GLASS FACTORY. ^
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¨¨¨¨¨¨.-;^ SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ^;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-;^§ BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO §^;-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-;^§& THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY &§^;-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.-;^§&# NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES #&§^;-.¨¨¨
¨¨.-;^§&## SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ##&§^;-.¨¨
¨.-;^§&### STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ###&§^;-.¨
¨¨.-;^§&## FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ##&§^;-.¨¨
¨¨¨.-;^§&# THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, #&§^;-.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-;^§& AND A GIFT SHOP. &§^;-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-;^§ §^;-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-;^ THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ^;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-; MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- CONSIDERED POOR. -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. SOME ARE SHATTERED. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-; THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-;^ A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ^;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-;^§ GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. §^;-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-;^§& VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON &§^;-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.-;^§&# TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF #&§^;-.¨¨¨
¨¨.-;^§&## GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ##&§^;-.¨¨
¨.-;^§&### ###&§^;-.¨
¨¨.-;^§&## ^^ ##&§^;-.¨¨
¨¨¨.-;^§&# ^^ ^^ #&§^;-.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-;^§& ------- ^ ^ ------- &§^;-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-;^§ ^^ ^^ §^;-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-;^ ^^ ^;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-; ;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-; HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-;^ IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ^;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-;^§ INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE §^;-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-;^§& IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM &§^;-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.-;^§&# WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS #&§^;-.¨¨¨
¨¨.-;^§&## OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ##&§^;-.¨¨
¨.-;^§&### ###&§^;-.¨
¨¨.-;^§&## THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ##&§^;-.¨¨
¨¨¨.-;^§&# HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT #&§^;-.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-;^§& LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND &§^;-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-;^§ TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST §^;-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-;^ A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ^;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-; STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LIT FROM BEHIND. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-; ;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-;^ ^^ ^;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-;^§ ^^ ^^ §^;-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-;^§& ------- ^ ^ ------- &§^;-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.-;^§&# ^^ ^^ #&§^;-.¨¨¨
¨¨.-;^§&## ^^ ##&§^;-.¨¨
¨.-;^§&### ###&§^;-.¨
¨¨.-;^§&## MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ##&§^;-.¨¨
¨¨¨.-;^§&# STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET #&§^;-.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-;^§& IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, &§^;-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-;^§ IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. §^;-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-;^ IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ^;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-; DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-; THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-;^ IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ^;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-;^§ CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE §^;-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-;^§& ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. &§^;-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.-;^§&# #&§^;-.¨¨¨
¨¨.-;^§&## THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ##&§^;-.¨¨
¨.-;^§&### WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ###&§^;-.¨
¨¨.-;^§&## CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ##&§^;-.¨¨
¨¨¨.-;^§&# BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT #&§^;-.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-;^§& FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE &§^;-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-;^§ BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING §^;-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-;^ DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ^;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-; TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. FLOOR. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-; I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-;^ WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ^;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-;^§ MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A §^;-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-;^§& WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS &§^;-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.-;^§&# THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT #&§^;-.¨¨¨
¨¨.-;^§&## VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ##&§^;-.¨¨
¨.-;^§&### BECOME STILL. ###&§^;-.¨
¨¨.-;^§&## ##&§^;-.¨¨
¨¨¨.-;^§&# ^^ #&§^;-.¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-;^§& ^^ ^^ &§^;-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-;^§ ------- ^ ^ ------- §^;-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-;^ ^^ ^^ ^;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-; ^^ ;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨ AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨. .¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.- SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER -.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨¨.-; THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨¨.-;^ GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ^;-.¨¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨¨.-;^§ I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE §^;-.¨¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨¨.-;^§& THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? &§^;-.¨¨¨¨
¨¨¨.-;^§&# #&§^;-.¨¨¨
¨¨.-;^§&## I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ##&§^;-.¨¨
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